How to Save a Life
by Nushka
Summary: Sixteen-year old Jasmine's favorite movie is Dead Poets Society. She has always wished she had a chance to save Neil. But what will happen when suddenly her wish comes true, and she ends up in the Dead Poets Society universe? Will she be able to save her favorite Dead Poet, or will things turn out horribly wrong when she finds herself also falling for another boy? NeilxOCxCharlie.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, you guys! This is an idea that was sitting in my head for ages, so I decided: Why not? It's basically about a girl in the 21st century, fan of DPS, who enters the DPS universe trying to save Neil. Things get complex and...who knows what might happen? **

**The idea to name my fanfic "How to Save a Life" came from a video I watched on YouTube (do not own!) by HaveMercy18. If you haven't seen it, check it out, it's so awesome and sad. It focuses on Neil and Todd's relationship.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own DPS. "How to Save a Life," which I also do not own, is a song by The Fray. **

Jasmine sat in silence as she watched the end credits run through the screen paying attention neither to them nor to the sad music that filled the air. Tears were streaming down her face. Her mind raced back to the previous two hours when the only thing that had existed on her mind had been Neil, Todd, Charlie and _carpe diem._ She just sat there motionless, overwhelmed with anger and sadness. Why, _why _did Neil have to kill himself? Couldn't he just _wait _a couple more years until he finished school? He could do whatever he wanted then! He could run away and become an actor like he wanted! Couldn't he live for Todd? Why didn't Todd save him? Her heart ached. If only she was there! She would do anything possible to save Neil!

Her thoughts were interrupted from her mother who was staring at her with pity.

"Oh, honey," her mother said. "You have been watching _Dead Poets Society _again, haven't you?"

Jasmine wiped her eyes ashamedly. She didn't like it when her mother saw her in that condition.

It was her mother who had introduced her to that movie when she was seven, but she didn't love it the way Jasmine did. Jasmine had idolized Mr. Keating, adored Todd, was charmed by Charlie, entertained herself with Knox, Pitts, and Meeks, hated Cameron with a passion, and completely worshipped Neil, even before she was allowed to see the ending of the movie. Her mother always stopped it when Neil's play came to an end and told Jasmine that this was the end of the movie, and they all lived happily ever after. For some years the girl felt content with that, yet, when she started middle school, she realized that the movie couldn't end this way. So, she sneaked out one night and had watched the _whole _movie. The next day, her mother noticed Jasmine's pale face and red eyes and hugged her tightly. "Oh, poor baby," she whispered. "What's wrong?" Little Jasmine burst into tears and flung herself out of her mother's arms. "Neil _died, _mom! He _died_ at the end of the movie! Why didn't you tell me?" Her mother's eyes went wide open. "Is that all?" she asked. "_Is that all_? My favorite character died, mom, and you hid it from me! And all you have to say is 'Is that all?'" Her mother looked down. "You were so young, baby. Suicide is not an appropriate theme for a seven-year-old. Especially since it was Neil committing it."

_Suicide. _What an awful word! What an awful action! So unlike her dear Neil… Yes, Jasmine loved Neil. She knew, of course, that he was just a fictional character but all girls had a fictional character they drool over, and Jasmine's specific character was Neil! She wasn't _obsessed_ like her mother said all the time. She just liked him within logical limits. Obsession was a strong word.

"Honey, you shouldn't watch that movie so often. It makes you so sad." She heard now her mother.

"It was your fault, mom. You shouldn't have shown it to me in the first place," Jasmine said, pulling the DVD out of its socket.

"It's not normal, baby. I mean, I like this movie, too, but I'm not _obsessed_."

Here it was again. _That word_. Her mother was now trying to comb Jasmine's curly brown hair with her fingers.

"I'm not obsessed!" shouted Jasmine slapping her mother's hand away. "It's just my favorite movie, is that so bad?"

"It wouldn't be so bad if you weren't drooling all day over that guy who killed himself!"

Her mother had now lost her temper, too.

"It's _Neil_, mom! Neil! Okay? You used to know his name, remember?"

"It's just not good for yourself, honey, don't you see?" Her voice was now gentler, but Jasmine was already angry enough.

"Would you rather prefer my "obsession" over Justin Bieber, mom?"

"At least he's a real person, hon."

Jasmine growled instead of answering. She always cherished the sweet melancholy the movie brought to her in the end, and now her mother had destroyed it. Again. She headed to her room.

"Dinner will be served in a minute, honey."

"I'm not hungry. You can eat with just Dad," Jasmine said and kicked her door shut.

She landed on her bed sighing. It wasn't like she was a loner and didn't have any friends! She did have a lot of friends, but in her sixteen years of living she had just accepted the fact that _Dead Poets Society _and Neil would always hold a special place in her heart. The place of her unfulfilled fangirl love.

Ah, Neil. If she was there, she would have stopped him from pulling that trigger. She would have done her best, she would have said things, _done_ things that would not let him kill himself. She was certain that if she had a chance she would have saved his life…somehow.

"_Where did I go wrong?_

_I lost a friend_

_Somewhere along in the bitterness_

_And I would have stayed up with you all night_

_Had I known_

_How to save a life._"

This song always reminded her of Neil and Todd, and the girl couldn't help but sing it every time after watching the movie. She lay on the bed and murmured the rest of the lyrics to herself.

Morpheus took her in his arms as she was singing "How to Save a Life" for the third time. It wasn't long after her first dream started. She walked, barefoot, in a meadow with grass so green and sky so blue unlike one she had never seen before. This beautiful landscape caused to feel so ordinary. The grass, as it caressed her feet, felt almost alive under her feet under her toes. She usually thought her eyes were sky-blue, but this blue was so vibrant it made her eyes look a dull grey. Jasmine took a deep breath. Lavender, melted chocolate, and the smell of paper floated into her nostrils, dazzling her brain with this mix of her favorite scents. She couldn't even conceive how her subconscious was capable of such beautiful masterwork.

"Cool colors, huh?" she heard a voice and turn to see its possessor. "So blue and green are your favorite? Kind of cliché, but I wouldn't like, see, a _brown_ sky."

Jasmine gasped. In front of her was the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on. Raven black hair and charcoal eyes did he have, a body that resembled a Greek god's was visible under his white clothes, and golden skin. The girl thought he actually glowed. His age couldn't be specified; he looked young but wise, like he carried the knowledge of centuries.

_Am I dead?_ she wondered when her mind recovered from its black-out. _Is this Heaven?_

"Are you an angel?" she asked the man, because this was what he looked like.

He laughed. He had a crystal clear laugh that made her head turn.

"An angel? Oh, no, but I wouldn't mind being one," he said.

"Who are you, then?" Jasmine was proud of herself that she could still speak nonchalantly despite the bubbles that were swirling in her brain.

"I am the Muse."

"The Muse?"

"Yes, my dear, the Muse."

Jasmine's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Weren't the muses women? And nine? You're a guy...and just one."

The man smiled.

"You know, they say patience is a virtue my dear…"

"Jasmine. You were saying?"

"Jasmine. What a charming name. You can call me Muse." Muse enjoyed Jasmine's bewildered expression for a few seconds before continuing. "As I was saying, I am the Muse. The nine girls _do_ exist, and they are also called muses. You see, I kinda stole their name. After-Muse is not such a pretty name. It sounds intimidating. Anyway, the girls are for inspiration. They create the sparkle into the creator's mind and help him through his journey. And when this specific journey is done, the creation is my responsibility."

Muse paused in order to create a moment of tension. Jasmine raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"So you claim to be in charge for every finished creation out here?"

The man thought for a second.

"Pretty much."

"Isn't that an awful quantity of creations to handle?"

"The unfinished creations, my dear, are way more than the finished ones."

Jasmine had an unexplainable urge to laugh. What the hell? Who was this guy?

"Okay…, and what exactly is your job? If something is finished, it's finished, right?"

"Ha! Wrong!" shouted Muse and clapped his hands. "My job, my dear Jasmine," he said her name slowly as if to devour the sound of it "is to satisfy poor souls like you. You see, my dear, after _five years_" he focused on these words "of constant whining, I had to do something to stop your bickering."

The girl's jaw fell wide open.

"Whining? Bickering? What do you mean?"

Muse smiled mischievously.

"Oh, Neil! Oh, how much I love him! Oh, how I wish I could save him! Oh, if only I had been there!" he mocked her. "My dear, these thoughts are fine for a while, but after _five whole years_ it is kind of annoying."

"Your point being…?" Jasmine asked, a little mad. Was this guy serious? Where was he taking this? Was this real, or just a way for her subconscious to tell her to stop obsessing over Neil? There. Now she was using the word "obsessed", too.

"My point being, dear, that I've finally decided to grant your wish."

Jasmine burst out laughing. The idea was so ridiculous! Grant her wish? In what way? Put her into the story? Or let her write a different ending to the script? _That'd be cool_, she thought.

She expected Muse to laugh, too, but his face was completely serious.

"You are allowed from me," he said, "to enter the _Dead Poets Society_ universe and try to save Neil, as you have been wishing."

Jasmine's laugh disappeared.

"Wait. You're serious?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"You're not real, dude. You're in my subconscious."

Muse seemed offended.

"Of course I'm real. Just like my offer. Do you want me to take it back?"

Jasmine thought for a second. Even if this was not real and just her imagination, she would give anything to meet the Dead Poets. Talk with Todd, laugh with Charlie's pranks, tease Knox, _be_ with Neil. It was what she wished for, true. So what kept her?

"Go on," she said.

"So, hear the rules, dear. You can enter the story in any time you want, whether that's the beginning or a few moments before Neil pulls the trigger. You can also leave the story whenever you want. If you fail, though, when you disappear, everything will go back to its place, no one, I repeat, _no one_ will remember you. The story will remain intact. The only thing you will have is bad memories." Muse's voice was now low and mysterious which made the girl even more intrigued.

"And if I succeed?' asked Jasmine, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"Honestly?" his voice was back to normal, excited and nonchalant. "Nothing will change in the movie. But when you disappear, because you will eventually leave the story, dear, everyone will remember you. And you will have a clear conscience, I guess."

"And won't my parents miss me?"

"Have you forgotten where we are, dear Jasmine? We're in a dream. You'll wake up in the morning, in your bed after you have saved Neil or failed miserably to do so."

Jasmine was still confused.

"So all this is a dream? It's not real-_real_?"

Muse grabbed her shoulders, and a violent wave of air hit her, causing her unruly curls to fly all around her face.

"Of course it's real-_real_, dear. See for yourself," he said and pinched her on both of her arms.

"Ouch!"

"So? Are you in or what?" Muse asked her eagerly.

Jasmine studied him. This surely felt real, but was it? Or was it just a dream? Anything could happen in a dream. One time she had fed giraffe babies in a dream. The giraffe babies felt real, too, but they weren't. So how could she be sure that this was indeed real?

Then it hit her. _Who cared?_ She was given a chance to save Neil, even in her subconcious, and was seriously contemplating rejecting it? _No way! _

"I'm in." she resoluted, sticking her hand out for him to shake.

"Are you sure?" he questioned her in a serious voice. "Because it might look like a game now, dear Jasmine, but once you're in there all the boys, the cave, the club, everything will be real. You must be absolutely certain that you have a chance to save Neil."

"I am," answered the girl, not breaking away from his glance. Her voice was steady.

"Good then," he said, taking her hand into his own. "Close your eyes now, dear. Think about the place and the time you want to be when you open your eyes."

Jasmine did as she was told.

"And remember," he felt him whisper to her ear. "I'll only be a breath away."

She nodded.

They shook hands, and the world faded into black.

**A/N: So, let me tell you a little secret. I love reviews and constructive criticism! So leave a review on your way out, PLEASE? **

**I recently watched _Blue Jasmine _(do not own!) by Woody Allen. I didn't like the movie so much, but I fell in love with the name Jasmine. So that's how I came up with the name Jasmine. **

**Review?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Well, hey guys! It took me a while, but the second chapter is here! Also, English is not my native language, so if you notice something wrong please let me know, so I can fix it.**

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Dead Poets Society, nor the song "She's not There." Nope. I'm not that cool.**

Jasmine opened her eyes cautiously. Her whole body was aching, and, when she got up in a sitting position, she had to suppress the urge to vomit.

'_What did you think, dear? That travelling to a fictional dimension would be a merry-go-round ride?'_ she heard Muse talking to her mentally.

'_What, are you in my head, now?'_ she thought.

'_You're in _my _story, dear. Of course I'm in your head.'_

Jasmine chose to ignore him and looked around. She was in the woods, just like she had asked, lying down on what she guessed - hoped - were branches. She vaguely recognized the area as being near to the Indian Cave. Now, if she remembered correctly from the movie, the cave was just down the river which she could hear. She had to get started, though, if she wanted the boys not to bump on her on their way to the second meeting of the Dead Poets Society. As the girl stood up, swaying slightly, she realized that something was missing. The usual feeling of her jeans hugging her legs was gone. Did she have no pants on? Jasmine looked down and her jaw fell open as she saw that she was wearing stockings that came over her knee, a light blue poodle skirt, and a white blouse.

'_Muse? What am I wearing?'_

'_You're not a skirt girl, right?' _

Jasmine groaned. She had worn a skirt only twice in her life; they made her feel extremely uncomfortable, like someone was preventing her from walking straight.

'_If you lived three centuries ago, dear, you wouldn't even consider wearing pants. Besides, jeans for women appeared officially in the 1960's. Wearing jeans would be an anachronism. Remember, no one should learn that you come from the future,' _Muse said.

'_I want to make a difference.' _Jasmine objected.

'_Oh, but I'm afraid that you won't.'_

'_Whatever.' _

The girl gritted her teeth and began walking through the forest. She was surprised that she could find so easily the way to the Indian cave…like she had been there before.

'_After watching this movie nineteen times, even a mouse could manage to get to the Indian Cave.'_

Oh God, he was infuriating! Couldn't she have a little privacy?

'_Nope.'_

'_Oh, just stop it already!'_

She walked in mental silence for a couple of minutes, and then she came across the river. _Almost there_, she thought and kept on going. The sudden autumn breeze that blew cooled her flushed from effort cheeks.

'_So what do you like to do in your free time?' _she heard Muse.

'_Seriously?' _

'_You know, being Muse is kind of lonely. It is rare to come in contact with a real person.'_ His voice sounded softer than usual.

Jasmine tried not to think something ironic. She was mean, but not that mean. After a long pause she answered. '_I sing.'_

'_Really?'_

'_Yes, Muse, really.'_

'_Are you any good?'_

'_I'm alright.'_

'_Sing something.'_

'_Can you hear me?'_

'_Of course, dear.'_

Jasmine jumped off a rock and realized she had now reached the cave. She sat down on a rock nearby and thought about what to sing. She wanted something old and good, something Muse had not come in contact with recently. Then she found it. "She's not There," by The Zombies. She loved that song, and if she wasn't mistaken, it had come out in 1964. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

_But it's too late to say you're sorry_

_How would I know?_

_Why should I care?_

_Please, don't bother tryin' to find her_

_She's not there!_

_Well, let me tell you 'bout the way she looked_

_The way she'd act and the color of her hair_

_Her voice was soft and cool_

_Her eyes were clear and bright_

_But she's not there!_

Jasmine heard a sound of a branch breaking, and she stopped singing abruptly. The girl turned to see who interrupted her and came face to face with a pair of blue eyes, just like her own, light brown hair, and a scared face. There was no doubt. In front of her was Todd. The shock she felt was unexpected but strong. She had to admit that she didn't quite believe Muse when he had told her that everything would be real.

Before she had the chance to say anything, she heard other voices.

'What's going on, Todd?'

'Yeah, have you fallen on a ditch?'

'Who was singing, Todd?'

'Todd?'

'Uh – eh, it's-it's…,' Todd struggled to find the right words while his face became as red as a tomato. Jasmine realized it was not that normal to see a girl on her own in the woods, let alone if it was also in the middle of the night. Just a little before Todd burst from all the blushing he was doing, someone jumped and landed next to him. When he stood to his full height, Jasmine recognized him. Dark eyes, sly smile, confident posture. Ah, the one and only Charlie Dalton.

He looked at her curiously, and when he saw she belonged to a different sex, his attitude automatically changed. Jasmine was surprised to see how quickly he could get into his flirting mood. A predator look was obvious on his face, as he smiled lazily at her while extending his hand. Jasmine couldn't help but smile back and take his hand; she always thought him as handsome and charming.

'Charles Dalton,' he introduced himself.

Jasmine tried to suppress a snort of laughter.

'Jasmine Holden.'

'May I say, Miss Holden, that you have an angelic voice?'

'Thank you, Charles.' She tried to sound serious. _The only thing he didn't do was kiss my hand,_ she thought.

'Oh, for God sake's, Charlie, can't you get a hold of your hormones?' someone joked as five other boys appeared behind Todd ad Charlie. Todd immediately hid behind Pitts, but Jasmine couldn't care less.

There he was. Neil Perry. Neil. Her Neil. The Neil she had come to rescue. Charlie was handsome and charming, alright, but Neil was...just Neil. Tall and lean, his brown hair tousled all over his head, and sparkling brown eyes. The unhappy Golden Boy. The actor. He extended his hand as well, and Jasmine could feel her heart pounding in her ears as their fingers contacted. _He's real._

'Neil Perry,' he said, grinning. _I know_, she wanted to answer. _I know everything._ 'Pleasure to meet you, even in these peculiar circumstances. Would you care to explain what a lady might be doing in such a late hour outside…alone?'

Jasmine stared at him unable to answer. He was here, alive, real! What did he say? Her mind, filled with bubbles, couldn't make sense of his words.

'_Oh, for the name of God! He asked you what you're doing here.'_

'_Shut up, Muse.'_ And then: _'Thank you.'_

'I…' she trailed off. Really what was she doing here? What believable excuse could she use? _I live in the forest?_ Oh really? Do you also hunt your food and were raised by wolfs? 'I…,' she reiterated, 'I like it here.' Well, this wasn't exactly a lie.

'You are here at midnight because you like it?' a voice asked. To Jasmine's annoyance, this voice came from Cameron.

'I recently moved in a place near the city,' she stated, glaring at him. 'I find the woods peaceful…especially at night. It's the only place I can sing freely.' Lies were storming out of her mouth so quickly she couldn't even control them. 'I come almost every Friday night here, to sing.'

All of the boys stared at her in awe. Well, not all of them.

'We were there last Friday and didn't see you.' Cameron noted.

'That's why she said "almost every Friday night," Cameron,' Meeks said matter-of-factly. Jasmine felt a wave of gratitude towards him. Cameron always made her face redden and her hands clasp into fists, especially when he had said all these awful things about Mr. Keating at the end of the movie.

'Yes, Cameron, just give her a break,' Charlie defended her. Jasmine smiled at him politely as a thank-you, and she noticed his characteristic smile getting bigger on his face

'So, what are _you _doing in the woods that late?' Jasmine returned the question, deciding to look at Neil's mouth which caused her heartbeat to speed in an extremely bizarre way. She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye, though, from fear her face would turn as red as Todd's.

Neil opened his mouth to answer and then closed it again, his smile fading. Jasmine realized that he was considering whether or not to tell her about the Dead Poets Society. To her amusement, she watched him as he turned his back at her and whispered something to the Dead Poets, who had gathered around him. She heard Charlie's voice pleading and Cameron's objecting to something. After a couple of minutes Neil turned abruptly back to her, his smile back on his face.

'We're the Dead Poets Society!' he stated proudly.

Jasmine tried to act surprised.

'Dead Poets? Are you…ghosts who are poets?'

Neil laughed wholeheartedly. Jasmine's cheeks burned. A few other boys chuckled.

'No, we're certainly not dead, nor poets. But we try to be. Poets, I mean,' Neil said.

The girl smiled politely, and she put all her charm in her question.

'And what does your "society" do?'

'We're a bunch of guys,' Meeks explained, 'who sit in the Indian Cave and read poems to each other. Whitman, Tennyson, Thoreau…'

'We try to suck the marrow out of life,' Knox explained.

'Seize the day!' Pitts intervened.

'And woo women,' Charlie murmured, causing a round of awkward laughter among the boys.

'I'll pretend that I didn't hear that,' Jasmine smirked, 'but reading poems in a cave sounds interesting. Might if I join for tonight? Or is it a sort of closed brotherhood, and now you have to kill me?'

This time all the boys – except Cameron – let a laugh.

'No, don't worry; we won't have to slice your throat,' Neil joked, 'but you'll have to wait again.'

Another two-minute conversation between the members of the Society followed, with more pleading from Charlie and more objecting from Cameron. When Neil turned to her again, Charlie had a satisfied look, and Cameron had a face like he had just eaten a whole lemon.

'So? What's the verdict?' she asked.

'You're in,' Charlie said, winking at her.

'Thank you,' she said, and really meant it. 'Thank you.'

**A/N: I would really really appreciate some reviews guys! Even a word (good, bad, meh?). Otherwise I might get discouraged and drop this idea... this might sound like blackmailing. **

**Review!**


	3. Cameron

**A/N: Hi, guys! New chapter is here! I'd like to say a few things about it first *clears her throat*. This chapter is all about Cameron. Yeah, I KNOW, everyobody loves Cameron...But the thing is that EVERY Dead Poet will have a chapter dedicated to him at some point in the story. In it he will be thinking about Jasmine. Just to give you a little insight on how the boys see her. Some other things might also happen in these chapters...but I'm not giving anything away! So our dear, dear Cameron comes first. The next one will be either Meeks or Pitts.**

**Disclaimer: Why would I be in fanfiction if I owned DPS? Oh, and the poem "Annabel Lee?" It is also not mine.**

Cameron didn't like her. That girl, Jasmine, or whatever her name was, he didn't care. No, he didn't like her at all, and he sensed that the feeling was mutual. Neil was stupid for letting her attend the meeting.

'_Keating said they were a bunch of guys reading poems! A bunch of _guys_, boys! Not teenagers or generally people! Guys! We can't accept her!'_

'_Yes we can!' Charlie said. 'We don't have to do _everything _the way it was done thirty years ago!'_

'_To be honest, I don't care.' was Knox's statement. 'If it was Chris, I would care, but now… no.'_

'_Come on, Neil!' Charlie insisted. 'She's a girl! A girl! A quite pretty girl! We can't turn her down!'_

'_Yes we can!' Cameron reiterated Charlie's previous words._

'_I agree with Charlie,' Meeks said. _

_Pitts nodded. 'Me too.'_

'_What do you say, Todd?' Neil asked. _

_Todd looked at him terrified. 'I-I don't mind. She-She seems n-ni-nice,' he murmured and then shrugged._

'_I agree, she's interesting.'_

'_Interesting? Oh my God!' Cameron objected. _

'_Interesting? Neil, she's a girl! Wake up! She's more than interesting!' Charlie grinned._

_Cameron huffed. They were completely ignoring him!_

'_So, who wants her in?' Neil raised his hand while speaking. _

_Everybody raised their hand, but Cameron's remained glued to his side. _

'_She's in, gentlemen,' Neil said. 'Sorry, Cameron, but democracy exists in this country.'_

'_You're in,' Charlie repeated to the girl._

_Cameron sighed. This wouldn't end well._

There was something about her that made her so different from the other girls he had met. There was something that made her unlikable to him. Something was off… It was the way she spoke, the way she joked, the air she had. He couldn't bring himself to think a girl as someone who could hang out with the rest of the boys, like she did. And yet she seemed so…so damn confident! Women were not supposed to be so confident! They were supposed to be quiet, subdued creatures, destined to be good mothers and wives!

'_Steven Meeks.' Meeks introduced himself._

'_Gerard Pitts.'_

'_Knox Overstreet.'_

_No one spoke after that. Charlie elbowed Cameron so hard on his ribs that Cameron was certain it would leave a bruise._

'_Richard Cameron,' he choked._

_The girl didn't pay the slightest attention to him, and the boy felt a pang of unwanted jealousy. She had smiled to everyone except him. Now she had spotted Todd with her eyes and had leaned slightly forward to catch a better look of him, since he was still hiding behind Pitts. Oh God, Cameron thought. She's more intrigued in the dumb than me. _

'_And you are…?' she asked him._

_Todd looked quickly to his right and left to make sure she was really talking to him. Cameron rolled his eyes._

'_Todd,' the boy murmured. 'Todd Anderson.' _

_She smiled at him kindly, and Todd nervously reciprocated a shy smile. Then the girl took a few steps back and faced all of them. Her eyes landed on Neil, and Cameron noticed they stayed there._

'_I'm Jasmine,' she said, and Cameron was under the impression that she was speaking only to Neil. It was like everyone else had disappeared. He noticed Neil grinning, like he always did. 'Jasmine Holden.'_

Jasmine! What a name! Cameron had never met a girl before named Jasmine. Not that he had met a lot of girls, but anyway.

'_Want a cigarette?' Charlie asked Jasmine once they were in the cave. She had admitted that she was starving because she hadn't had any supper, so now she was munching a piece of cake Pitts had stolen from the kitchen._

'_No, thank you, I don't smoke,' she replied._

_Who _didn't _smoke? Something was wrong with this girl. Cameron watched as Charlie lit his cigarette. He then made a move to pass him the lighter, but, before Cameron's fingers closed around it, Charlie threw it in the air and caught it with his other hand. He then gave it to Pitts. Cameron tried to object, but he was cut off by Neil._

'_Okay, gentlemen! And lady.' smiled the boy. 'Let's start this meeting, shall we?'_

_Everybody agreed. Neil opened Keating's book and, before he began reading, his face turned serious._

'_We welcome today a special guest to our meeting, Miss Jasmine Holden. Please treat her with respect, as it befits a regular member of the Dead Poets Society. And now, I will read the traditional opening of the meeting by Henry David Thoreau, as I did the previous time' Neil paused for a second, took a deep breath, and then started. '"I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. To put to rout all that was not life, and not, when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived."'_

_Cameron had to admit that he felt a shiver run through his spine when he heard these words, although he had heard them before. A deep silence fell in the cave, in contrast to the previous time the words were read, and he realized that the other boys were feeling just like he did. He peeked at Jasmine and found her gauging at Neil. Was she really so blown away by these words or was it just an act?_

_Neil broke the silence. 'Jasmine, would you like to read first as the guest member?' he asked offering her the book._

_Jasmine took it and held it carefully in her hands, like it was made of fine porcelain. 'I'd be honored,' she said 'but I think it's best for someone else to read first.' _

_Neil smiled. 'Of course,' he answered. 'Knox?' he asked. Knox took the book from Jasmine with a hint of anticipation. He opened it in a random page and read out loud: '"Annabel Lee," by Edgar Allan Poe.'_

_It was many and many a year ago,__  
__In a kingdom by the sea,__  
__That a maiden there lived whom you may know__  
__By the name of ANNABEL LEE;__  
__And this maiden she lived with no other thought__  
__Than to love and be loved by me._

_I was a child and she was a child,__  
__In this kingdom by the sea;__  
__But we loved with a love that was more than love-__  
__I and my Ann-_

'_I can't read any more, I'm sorry,' Knox said closing the book abruptly. _

'_Oh, come on, Knoxious, her name is Annabel Lee, not Chris Noel!' Charlie shouted blowing the smoke out of his mouth. _

'_Who's Chris?' Jasmine asked._

'_A girl,' Meeks explained._

'_Knox's in love with her,' Pitts continued._

'_Although he's seen her only once in his life,' Charlie commented._

'_Oh.' _

'_Don't make fun of love!' Knox shouted at Charlie, threatening to throw the book at him. He then remembered it was probably not a very good idea and held the book tight to his chest like it was something dear as life. Perhaps like it was Chris. _

'_Why don't you ask her out?' Jasmine proposed._

_Knox shot a miserable look at the ground._

'_She's with someone else.'_

'_A jerk,' Charlie explained._

'_Oh,' Jasmine said again._

'_Will you go on with the poem?' Charlie was irritated. 'Or will I have to read it for you?'_

_Knox huffed so intensely that his bangs flew over his face and passed the book to Charlie. Jasmine tried unsuccessfully not to laugh._

Cameron turned restlessly in his bed. Who was she? What was she doing near the cave? Her excuse that she found the woods peaceful in the dark was completely unbelievable. There was something she was hiding, and he would find out what it was.

_But what if she's telling the truth?_ a small voice asked in his head. Cameron pushed this thought violently away. She wasn't telling the truth. She was a fraud. Yes, she was a fraud, and he didn't like her one bit.

**A/N: That was it guys! Is my love for Cameron so obvious? Please, leave a review on your way out and let me know what you think! Did you like this chapter? Do you like the idea of every Dead Poet having a chapter to himself? Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Guys, I'm so so sorry for the delay! My life is really crazy right now (I have TONS of studying and extracurricular activities!), so I don't know when I'll be able to update.**

**To all the people who reviewed, thank you so much! Your words keep me going. Don't be afraid to leave constructive criticism, I'm always looking for new ways to improve. **

**Amy – You can't imagine how much you've encouraged me. Thank you.**

**a-dreamer – Don't worry, I know that Charlie is more than a mere Don Juan, but I want to thank you for reminding me. I guess I needed it.**

**Charlie – I'm glad you liked it!**

**Martha – Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own DPS.**

**So, now on with the story!**

Jasmine stood and glanced at her watch, an elegant piece of jewelry which belonged to her grandmother, the only one of her things Muse had let her keep and wear in common view. It was a fine Sunday, and if she wasn't too busy trying to find any Dead Poet that happened to be in town, she would gladly lie down and bask under the sun. Instead of that, she had to ride countless times around the town on the bike Muse had "created" for her, desperately hoping for a chance to attend another Society meeting. Her hair had stuck on the back of her neck, and her face was red from heat, since the autumn sun was still burning. Deciding she would soon suffocate, she opened a button of her blouse which elicited a low whistle from a group of boys nearby. She opened another button and hastily rode away from them.

Then her eyes spotted a familiar face across the street, a forehead covered by brown bangs, a mouth slightly open in an expression of awe. Jasmine smiled to herself when she found the source of this awe. Chris was standing only a few feet away from Knox with a couple of her girlfriends. Jasmine vaguely recognized one of them. _Ginny Danburry, _she remembered. She played – she would play – in _Midsummer's Night Dream _with Neil.

She quickly headed towards Knox, who was still dazed by the view of Chris. Jasmine glanced at her once again. She had to admit it, Chris was really pretty. Jasmine found herself cute, but nothing compared to Chris. Jasmine was slender and had blue eyes, but apart from that she didn't have anything to be proud of. Her hair was too messy, her chin too pointed, her eyes too big. In no way could she be considered beautiful. She caught herself looking at Chris again, slightly jealous. Knox had only met her once, and he was already madly in love with her. When would this happen to her?

'_You're stalking Knox who is stalking Chris,' _said Muse in an attempt to cheer her up. A smile appeared on her face. These past two days she had gotten used to his comments that invaded constantly her head. She had accepted the fact that he wouldn't go away. He was like an imaginary friend, but a real one.

Jasmine often wondered how Muse could see what she was doing and how he could know what she was thinking. Did he just sit on his chair and look down like Jasmine's being in the story was some sort of game? A game in which he held all the cards, a game in which he could intervene and change things? Add things? Muse had given her a bike, and a home which surely didn't exist before. He had created a small cabin for her with heat and running water near the Indian Cave, so that she could be near the boys, even though they weren't aware of it. Yet he didn't answer her intense questions about how he managed to make something appear out of nowhere. Seems like that wonder would remain in the sack with all of her unanswered questions.

She pushed all her thoughts away as she was now standing next to Knox.

'You better close your mouth, a fly will come in,' she joked, startling him.

Knox unglued his eyes from Chris and looked at her.

'Jasmine!' he exclaimed.

The girl was glad he still remembered her name.

'Hey Knox,' she greeted him. 'Good to see you.'

Knox blinked, still dazed.

'Is that her? The girl you like?' she asked pointing at Chris. 'The blonde?'

'Yes.'

'She's pretty.'

'She is.'

Knox and Jasmine watched as a guy – Chet Danburry – approached the girls. Chris practically jumped in his arms, and Chet gave her a passionate kiss which lasted a few more seconds than appropriate. Jasmine felt Knox stir next to her.

'Do they have to do _that_ in public?' he murmured.

'Is that her jerk boyfriend?'

Knox looked at the ground, defeated.

'Yes. Obviously,' he said to the pavement.

Chet was now caressing Chris's hair. Knox, deciding that he had enough, turned and walked away.

'Girls always go for the jerks,' Jasmine noted while she ran after him, dragging along her bike.

He sighed.

'Pittsie also said that. But he didn't tell me why.'

'Well,' Jasmine said, 'I will tell you why. Girls go for the jerks because that's who they think they deserve.'

Knox grunted. 'This is stupid. They should be with who they want.' He paused. 'What _do_ they want, really?'

Jasmine thought for a second.

'Girls… they want someone romantic, but not overly sensitive. Someone who takes care of them without being overprotective. Someone who treats them like people not objects.'

_Well, there are some girls who just want a particular guy. _

'_Neil,' _Muse whispered.

'Chet Danburry does nothing of everything you mentioned, yet he has Chris,' Knox said.

'Because Chris thinks he's the one for her.' Jasmine hit lightly his chest with her forefinger.

'But he's not!'

'Show her, then, that you're the one.'

'_How?_' he shouted.

'For a start, talk to her!' Jasmine stood in front of him, making him stop walking.

'How? When?' he wondered.

'Find her? Call her?' she suggested.

She watched as his eyebrows furrowed.

'Don't you want to call her?' she urged him.

'I do,' he said. 'I do.'

She didn't say anything more. Knox would call Chris either way, but she hoped she had hastened the development of their relationship. They continued walking in silence.

'There's something you can do for me,' Knox suddenly said.

'What?'

'You go to the public school, right?' he asked.

Jasmine bit her lip. She was supposedly living in the town, so the reasonable thing to do was to attend the town's public school, right? Although she didn't attend any school at all. Except her real high school.

'Yes,' she lied.

'Well, you can talk to Chris about me!' Knox raised his hand in the air, like he had come up with something genius.

Jasmine raised an eyebrow.

'Please?' Knox begged. 'Just say a few good words about me. You know, so that she builds a nice picture of me.'

'Do you think you can't get her with your own powers?' she asked.

'No. I can!' Knox's excitement was making her laugh. 'But since I have you now…why not take advantage of it? You're the only girl friend I have right now.'

'Are we friends?' Jasmine's jaw dropped.

Knox shrugged. 'I guess we are,' he said. 'I mean, you know everything about Chris. I think we are friends.'

Jasmine smiled. She never thought of all the boys, Knox would be the first one to be her friend. Then she thought of something which made the smile grow bigger on her face. She had just bought her ticket to the meeting!

'So…that means I can come to the next Society meeting?' she questioned.

Knox raised his shoulders again.

'Well, yes. Everybody seems to like you, so I believe they won't mind.'

_Everybody likes me? Neil likes me? _Jasmine felt like little cherubim's were singing in her head.

'Same time, same place?' she asked.

'Will you talk to Chris?' he asked as well.

Jasmine extended her hand. Knox shook it.

'We have a deal,' she said.

Knox beamed, and the girl was determined. Just for the sake of their new-formed friendship, she would help Knox get Chris. He did a pretty good job himself in the movie, but who wouldn't mind some extra help? Besides, Jasmine always thought Chris and Knox broke it off after Neil died. Now Neil wouldn't die, of course, but instead of just saving Neil, she could also lead Knox and Chris's romance to another direction. Who would be hurt?

'So, would you care to spend this Sunday with your new friend?' she asked him.

The boy thought for a moment before answering 'Why not?'

* * *

Two hours later Jasmine found herself and Knox lying on the grass of a small park, each one of them with a can of coke in hand. Jasmine felt amazed that after so many years people drank the same refreshment. But, of course, she couldn't say that to Knox. She also felt amazed that she and the boy had so many things to talk about. Knox, having found a willing listener, talked endlessly about Chris, her hair, her eyes, her smile… Jasmine, on the other hand, talked to him about her friends, her "friends from my old school" as she said, and her family. Only then did she realize how much she had missed her parents. She might be fighting with her mother all the time, but she did miss her calling "hon". She might not be talking with her father so much, but she did miss the few significant words they exchanged every day. Being on her own was exciting but…lonely.

'Homesick?' Knox asked when Jasmine didn't respond to one of his questions but gazed sadly at a cloud which disturbed the endless blue of the sky.

Jasmine shook her head violently, as if to shake off her thoughts.

'So, where do you live now?' he tried to change the subject, only to put her in a more difficult situation.

Jasmine pointed vaguely to a direction.

'Somewhere over there. Don't remember exactly,' she answered. She hated that she had to lie all the time, but she had no other choice. 'Where do _you_ live?'

Knox laughed.

'Right now, I live in school!' he said, pointing at a direction. 'It's called Welton, but everybody calls it Hellton. You can imagine why. It's a boarding school.'

Jasmine smiled.

'Boarding school? Oh, posh boy!' she teased him.

Knox narrowed his eyes.

'So you and all the other boys are from Hellton?' she asked.

He nodded. 'Yes. Neil, Charlie, Pittsie, and Meeks are my best friends. We don't like Cameron, the redhead,' he explained 'but he's good at Trig, so mostly that's why we let him hang out with us. Todd is new at school, so I don't know if I like him yet. He's Neil's roommate. You know, the really tall one?'

Jasmine nodded. 'I thought he was your leader.'

'Yeah, he is. He can convince anyone to do anything. He always has something to say…well, except when his father is around. Then he just loses all of his confidence and swallows his tongue. I wouldn't blame him. Mr. Perry is a scary man.'

Jasmine nodded again, unable to utter a word. It was Neil's fear that drove him to suicide in the movie. _Not this time_, she thought.

'Neil was the one who reconvened the Dead Poets Society,' the boy said.

'The Society is _reconvened_?'

Knox sipped the last drops of his coke. Jasmine looked at her can. It was half-full.

'Yes,' Knox answered. 'The man who founded it is our new Literature teacher. His name is Keating. He's…different.' The boy looked at her and realized that she was really engulfed by his words, so he continued. 'The first day he came in class he told us that we're all going to turn cold and die, so we'd better seize the day. _Carpe diem_, he said, and he asked us to call him 'Oh Captain, my Captain.' He's the best teacher we've ever had; he understands how we feel, his lesson is fun.'

Knox went on to say how the Dead Poets Society was reconvened, a story which Jasmine knew by heart.

'There's nothing to keep Neil from an adventure such as reading poems late at night in a cave,' he said. 'And when Neil makes a decision, probably everyone will follow him.'

'I see,' the girl answered, and she started moving the lid of her can back and forth, whispering the letters of the alphabet. It came off quickly at the letter C.

'Someone whose name starts from C is thinking about me.' She put the lid in front of Knox's nose.

'I don't know this game,' he observed.

'You move the lid back and forth until it comes off while saying the alphabet. The letter the lid will come off is the first letter of the name of someone who is thinking about you. Someone from C.'

'Cameron,' Knox answered. Jasmine made a face. 'Charlie!' he shouted.

'I think I like that more,' she said, and she felt somewhat happy that Charlie might be thinking about her.

Knox imitated her. His lid took a while to come off, and when it did, Knox had a face like he had swallowed a sock.

'X,' he stated.

Jasmine laughed out loud. 'Xander? Xanthe? Xavier?'

'Do these names exist?' Knox looked at her in disbelief. Jasmine continued laughing, and the boy kicked her lightly with his foot, trying to stifle his own laughter. He then looked at his watch and grunted.

'Oh, God, I have to go,' he said. 'It's late. I'll miss supper.'

Jasmine felt a pang of disappointment. The evening had passed really quickly.

'I had fun.' was her answer.

'Me too.' He stood up. 'Don't forget about Chris!' he warned.

The girl smiled still lying on the ground. 'I won't.'

Her smile didn't fade as he walked away. It was good to have a friend. And the next day she would make a new one. Chris.

**A/N: Hope you liked it. Please, don't forget to review!**


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